Ear protector



April 6, 1948. B. o. FANsLow EAR PROTECTOR BENJAMIN O. FANsLow FiledMarch 25, '1947 INVENTOR.

N427, A TTORNEYS be introduced into the muff, by sliding the bodyupwardly into the pocket provided by the tab l5, and securing it inplace by threads passed through the holes 28. The lower ends ofthepieces I0, Il can then be overlapped and sewed together to close thebottom of the muff structure and hold the clamp structure in position.

The device can be applied to the ear by pressing relatively upwardly(Figure upon the nger 32, to make sure that the tongue 30 is in theposition of Figure 6, i. e., that it is in opened position. Theprotector is then placed upon the ear, by slipping it on from the rearand top, with the part Il lying between the ear and the wearers head.The lower portion is then slipped around the lower lobe of the ear, sothat this lobe comes between the tab I 5 and the protective covering 33on the movable tongue 30. Pressure is then exerted against the piece I0,from the exterior, so that the tongue 30 is moved inwardly orcounterclockwise from the position of Figure 6, until the linger 32passes the shoulder 26 and the spring blade 25 can now act to hold thelower lobe of the ear lightly clamped between the body part and themovable part (Figure 9).

The device can be released and removed by pressing upwardly against thelower part of the movable structure, wherewith the finger 32 is causedto move clockwise about the pivot 35 and pass from the position ofFigure 5 into that of Figure 6. lIfhe clamp is thus opened, and thestructure can be stripped from the ear.

In the modiiied form shown in Figures 7 and 8, the body 20 isessentially the same as before, with the walls 22, apertured lugs '23,slits 24, spring tongue 25, and the shoulder 26.

The movable part has the upwardly-extending clamp tongue 30, theaperture 3| for the pivot pin, and the engaging finger 32. In thismodied form, an actuator piece is also provided, consisting of theactuator finger 40 and the apertured lugs il which are mounted on thesame pivot 35 that provides for the swinging movement of movable part30, 32. By construction and arrangement, the actuator finger 40 extendsa greater distance from the axis than the finger 32 of the movable part.

The method of applying and removing an ear protector having this modiedform of clamp structure is essentially the same as before. With thismodified arrangement, upward pressure against the actuator finger 4Dcauses the movable tongue 3d to move away from the body 20. In thisform, continued movement of the actuator nger 40 causes greaterdistortion of the spring blade 25, until the finger 32 is cleared by theshoulder 23 and tongue 30 may thlus open to receive the ear lobe. Theactuator linger 40 finally comes against the shoulder 25, wherewithpressure is exerted by the spring blade so that the actuator structureis thus held against return movenient. When the tongue 30 is pressedinwardly, however, the corresponding lower finger 32 engages theactuator linger 40, and presses this in a counterclockwise directionuntil it is below the free edgeof the spring blade 25, whereupon thisspring then serves to maintain the tongue 30 under light clampingpressure upon the ear lobe.

It is preferred to form the parts I0, Il, l5, 36 of flexible materialsuch as leather or fabric, and they can be made and assembled in varioussizes. It is presently preferred to form the spring blade 25 integralwith the body structure, by having this body structure made of resilientmaterial. It has been found that plastics, such as vinyl resins,

, purposes intended.

and acrylic resins, are commercially obtainable in sheet form and ofsufficient resiliency for the Such sheets can be cut, drilled, andhot-formed to provide the structures as shown. Phenolic and urea resinsof thermosplastic or thermosetting type can be employed by hot-holding.Such resins are presently preferred, as they are not affected by cold,nor by water, and have a low heat conductivity and low specific contentso that they neither serve to abstract heat from the wearers ear, nor toconduct such heat to the exterior of the device. Obviously, metal can beused, with preference for non-corrosive alloys.

In each form, as shown by Figure 9, the flexible ear lobe L is engagedbythe tongue 30, under the resilient pressure exerted therethrough fromthe spring blade 25, and a part of the lobe is pressed into the channelbetween the walls 22. Thus, relative sliding movement, in the directionsof the double-headed arrow in Figure 9, between lthe clamping structureand the ear lobe is prevented. The assembly is hence held upon'the earagainst accidental displacement by contact with the hand, etc., by useof a lesser pressure or clamping force than would be required for suchassurance if the body 20 and the tongue 30 had flat opposing surfaces;and therewith the illustrated device is free of necessity of employingsuch pressures as might restrict circulation in the ear lobe, oractivate nerve termini, with resultant discomfort.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited with the specic formsshown, but that it may be employed in many ways within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An ear protector comprising a mui structure fitting over the externalparts of the ear and between the ear and head, and a two-part clampstructure secured to the muff structure and effective for engaging thelower lobe of the ear; said clamp structure comprising a. part withspaced parallel wal-ls and a second intermediate part movable withrespect to the first part and receivable Ibetween the walls thereof,said parts being constructed and arranged in the muli structure to lieone outside and one inside the lower ear lobe when the protector ispositioned on the ear, and a spring on one said part and aspring-cooperative portion on the other part for detaining the movablepart in either end `moved -position relative to said body part.

2. An ear protector comprising a mui structure fitting over the externalparts of the ear and between the ear and head, said mul structure havinga downwardly open pocket at its lower end, and a clamp structurecomprising a body part located and held in said pocket,V and a movablepart pivoted to said body part and located within the muff structure andoutside the pocket, said body part having an integral leaf spring, saidmovable part having a nger engageable by said spring whereby the movablepart is held by said spring against ear-disengaging swinging movementaway from the body part.

3. A clamp structure for an ear protector cornprising a body ofresilient material and having a web and walls extending from the web,the body having slits along the web whereby to provide a blade spring, amovable part havingV an ear-engaging tongue cooperative with the bodyfor clamping to the ear, pivot means connecting the movable part to thebody, and a iinger on the movable part for engaging said spring andcooperative therewith to maintain the body and movable part inear-engaging position.

4. A clamp structure for an ear protector comprising a body-having a weband walls extending from the web, a movable part having an ear-engagingtongue cooperative with the body for clamping to the ear, pivot meansconnecting the movable `part to said walls, said body having a bladespring as a part thereof, said blade spring having its free end downwardand having a shoulder spaced from said free end, said movable parthaving a finger engageable with said blade springwhereby said bladespring can maintain the movable part in ear-engaging position, the pivotmeans, the shoulder, and the nger being so constructed and arranged thatwhen the nger engages the shoulder the blade spring is effective to holdthe tongue in disengaged position.

5. A clamp structure for an ear protector comprising a body of resilientmaterial and having a web and walls extending from said web, said bodybeing slit along a part of said web whereby said web part provides aIblade spring, said spring having a shoulder spaced from the free endthereof, a movable part pivotally secured between the body wallsopposite the free end of the spring and having an earlobe-engagingtongue cooperative with the body, said movable part having a fingerextending toward said spring and engageable thereby to prevent swingingmovement of the movable part out of earlobe engaging position, saidfinger and spring shoulder being so constructed and arranged that whenthe linger lies against the shoulder the spring prevents in- Wardear-engaging movement of the tongue and the shoulder limits outwardmovement of the tongue.

6. A clamp structure for an ear protector comprising a body of resilientmaterial and having a web and walls extending from said web, said bodybeing slit along a part of said Iweb whereby said web part provides ablade spring, said spring having a shoulder spaced from the free endthereof, said walls including apertured'lugs, a movable fpart locatedbetween the body walls opposite the free end of the spring and having anearlobe-engaging tongue cooperative with the body, a pivot pin extendingthrough said lugs and movable part, said movable part having a ngerextending toward said spring and engageable thereby to prevent swingingmovement of the movable part out of earlobe engaging position, saidfinger and spring shoulder lbeing so constructed and arranged that whenthe finger lies against the shoulder the spring prevents inwardear-engaging movement of the tongue and the shoulder limits outwardmovement of the tongue, and an actuator part mounted on said pivot pinfor engaging and moving said finger to cause the movable part to passtoward earlobe-disengaging position, said actuator being constructed andarranged whereby upon movement thereof it displaces the spring from thefinger and permits the finger to pass the shoulder.

BENJAMIN O. FANSLOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,857,974 Reno Aug. 5, 1931FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 104,126 Germany Oct.. 7, 1898148,274 Germany Nov. 11, 1902

